Is the £600k bill to run the Corn Exchange good value for money?

The King's Lynn Corn Exchange on the Tuesday Market Place.

Borough council chiefs have defended the cost of running Lynn’s Corn Exchange after revealing the authority faced a £600,000 bill for the venue this year.

At a council meeting last week, bosses argued that the cost – equivalent to £1,652 a day – was good value for money and said the venue was a well-used cultural “jewel of the town”.

But some councillors questioned whether the cost was fair on taxpayers – some of whom have never even used the Corn Exchange.

We took to the streets of Lynn to ask, do you use the Corn Exchange? And does it represent good value for money?

Jonathan Hayhoe, 62, of Lynn, has never used the venue, but he still felt it was money well spent.

“It’s a good thing to have in the town. Even though I’ve never used it, there’s lots of people who do,” he said.

Cathryn Crome, 75, of South Wootton, attends the Corn Exchange three to four times a year to watch shows such as the ballet, opera and school performances.

She said: “£600,000 is a lot of money but it’s worth it. There’s a lot of good things on there and it attracts people to the town.”

Sarah Walker, 38, of Reffley, agreed. She said: “I watched the pantomime there, and took four of the children. It was very expensive, but they loved it.

“I think it’s good value for money, you’ve got to have something like that in Lynn.”

Reffley resident Peter Smith, 69, who has watched shows including Jim Davidson, added: “It’s definitely good value for money. They’ve taken the rest of the history out of Lynn, so they need to keep the Corn Exchange going. It’s an important part of the town.”

But Julie Pike, 28, of West Lynn, who has taken her children to watch shows, felt the running cost was “extortionate”.

She added: “I know it costs a lot to keep buildings up, but I think that money could be better spent in this day and age.

“It’s hard because it’s obviously geared up for its purpose, but surely it could be opened up for other things to generate more revenue?”